Diet Pills?

pillz, pillz, pillz don't work for losing weight!

A blog reader (who probably didn't bother reading either my blog or the blog she was advertising) left a message in the comments here, advertising a new weight loss pill.  When I looked at the ingredients of this medication, it was old home week - a couple of nutrients (which don't promote weight loss) and other chemicals I had encountered previously, many times, Ad nauseam...which have been well proven as ineffective for long term weight loss and some of which pose a risk to the heart etc.

Listed first was a form of Phentermine.  Perhaps older readers may remember this drug,  as a part of a weight loss combination, "PhenFen" which was taken off the market because it was not only, ineffective on the long term but more importantly, risked the health of those who took the medication. Phentermine speeds up the heart because years ago, it was thought that would cause weight loss but actually, it more endangers the heart than what it's supposed to do.  And as the wife of a spouse experiencing heart problems (he recently got heart bypass surgery), I would definitely state you don't want to mess up your heart for anything and especially, an ineffective weight loss drug.

Calcium and L-Carnitine are nutrients, Caffeine is totally ineffective as a weight loss drug (or else all the coffee drinkers would be slim!) and again, it's hard on the heart, and finally Chromium Picolinate, a substance that was thought to be effective for weight loss in the 1990's (I had a friend who desperately did not want to do Weight Watchers so she tried every new diet pill) but I have never seen it work as a good weight loss drug and several studies greatly questioned its effectiveness.

The blog this individual linked, supposedly an informational about this drug, was full of misinformation and included a photo of one of the Biggest Loser TV show winners (who, of course, did NOT use weight loss pills to lose her weight).  Although there was a passing mention that pregnant ladies and anyone on medication should consult a medical provider before taking this medication, the blog claimed the drug is "totally safe" etc etc. And by the way, this medication is not inexpensive - for a bottle of 30 pills, they want $69 bucks.

Bottom line - if you see an ad for a weight loss drug, run the other way.  It's likely healthier to remain "of size" than take drugs to lose weight - drugs don't work on the long run and as you can see above, many ingredients are likely to be, risky to your health.

Like the singer stated "There is no easy road to a place worth going."  And the time folks spend on ineffective (and risky) practices for weight loss, would be much better used on programs like Weight Watchers (i.e. sensible programs), or just getting healthy by making healthy food choices and starting a regular cardio exercise program.

Garcinia Cambogia - neither effective nor safe

Weight loss supplements are many and varied.  The idea of just consuming a pill or a drink, appeals more to prospective dieters than counting calories or points and/or exercising.

One supplement I often see advertised, is Garcinia Cambogia, whose advocates are all over blogs like this one.  Whenever I post a blog here, whether about weight loss surgery or some other diet craze, I almost, invaribly, get a comment or two advocating Garcinia Cambogia and so I decided to research it a bit.

In investigating it, I found that there were concerns about how safe it was to use as well as not being effective for what they are pushing it for ... weight loss. The active ingredient in Garcinia Cambogia which supposedly causes weight loss, is hydroxycitric acid, or HCA = this is also included in other weight loss supplements.

In one study, the average weight loss in folks taking Garcinia Cambogia, was 2 lbs and the researchers couldn't really say if it was the lowered calories or the supplement that caused the weight loss, but they concluded it was likely the lower calorie intake of the cohort that caused the weight loss.

Garcinia Cambogia is apparently a tropical fruit which resembles grapefruit - people who have eaten it, say it tastes good but the medical profession does not feel it's a good weight loss supplement. As for the claims of lowering the blood sugar levels in diabetics, this, again, is unproven.

One article advocates a person wishing to lose weight would be better off, buying an exercise DVD than investing in Garcinia Cambogia.  I agree there.  Although convincing people to buy Garcinia Cambogia might be a cash cow for those selling it, it appears to be a waste of time for those wanting to lose weight or control diabetes. 

New diet pills - easy weight loss or just a health risk

There are three new diet pills which are being boasted about in the news as safe and effective.

In a nutshell, no they are neither safe nor particularly effective but the media is sure are doing the hard sell on them. Will people remember the phen-fen fiasco which has caused a relatively rare deadly disorder, pulmonary hypertension to be something we hear about all too often? Will they remember that even a medication like Xenical (Alli') can cause malabsorption of fat soluble vitamins and fecal incontinence? (without much weight loss).

Or will they line up to get these new medications which are really more older ones, just recycled?

Take a look: Pillz Pillz Pillz - Easy weight loss or just another health risk